Why these changes needed?

[thug dadi]

A question: how do any of you think that the talent level last season, statewide, compares to the talent level and teams from 5- 10- 15 years ago?

 

I think that the teams that were in the state tournament this year were not as strong as teams that I have seen in the past. With the exception of Riverdale, the teams looked marginal as far teams that I've seen play in the past. Not a knock on the teams that were there, but I've seen some teams in A in the past that would have given most of the AAA teams this year a hard time. If TSSAA wants to make some rule changes, why not make some that will help the sport instead of hinder it? Why not add a shot clock? Move the players back one space on free throws? I know people say that the cost of the shot clocks would be to much, but I have seen some pretty low budget AAU type weekend tournaments in places and they were still able to afford the clocks. I've watched lots of games (high school and AAU) and the AAU games are more entertaining. It seems to me that the TSSAA are passing rules to pandor to the least commited teams. "They don't want to work in the summer, so we'll outlaw all teams from working during the summer." "Teams don't like getting drilled, so we'll pass the mercy rule." As I read the list of rule changes for this year, I don't see how any of them are going to help, but there is room for them to lower the level of play in the future.

[JustDoIt1]

I think the rule changes are great. To many coaches want to monopoliize the players time in their sport of interest only. If a player is invloved in 2 or 3 sports as most are this becomes a tug of war that only the kid is a loser in. Usually the coach with the most power wins thus causing the kid to quit all other sports. Further kids do deserve some sort of summer and I'm not sure that the existing 2 weeks meet this. I think the new rules will help the kids that play multi sports and reduce burnout for the ones who don't.

 

The ones who really want to play at the next level will be playing AAU anyway.

 

Indian when yours isnt playing school ball does she play AAU? How much more time does she really need to have a ball in her hand?

[Not-so HeavyD]

I think the rule changes are great. To many coaches want to monopoliize the players time in their sport of interest only. If a player is invloved in 2 or 3 sports as most are this becomes a tug of war that only the kid is a loser in. Usually the coach with the most power wins thus causing the kid to quit all other sports. Further kids do deserve some sort of summer and I'm not sure that the existing 2 weeks meet this. I think the new rules will help the kids that play multi sports and reduce burnout for the ones who don't.

 

The ones who really want to play at the next level will be playing AAU anyway.

 

Indian when yours isnt playing school ball does she play AAU? How much more time does she really need to have a ball in her hand?

 

 

If the rules applied to all sports, then I would agree with you. Take softball, for example....now a dual sport athlete will not have to balance basketball and softball during the summer, but now the softball folks will take the kids and play 125 games with them in the summer. Now which sport will the kid play and how does that reduce burnout??

 

I agree with you about the ones who want to play in college will be playing AAU, but without the involvement of the high school coaches in AAU, the quality of those games will be affected too.

 

The new rules will do nothing but diminish the quality of play in girls basketball at the high school level.........just my opinion, only time will tell.

[CoachT]

I think that the teams that were in the state tournament this year were not as strong as teams that I have seen in the past. With the exception of Riverdale, the teams looked marginal as far teams that I've seen play in the past. Not a knock on the teams that were there, but I've seen some teams in A in the past that would have given most of the AAA teams this year a hard time. If TSSAA wants to make some rule changes, why not make some that will help the sport instead of hinder it? Why not add a shot clock? Move the players back one space on free throws? I know people say that the cost of the shot clocks would be to much, but I have seen some pretty low budget AAU type weekend tournaments in places and they were still able to afford the clocks. I've watched lots of games (high school and AAU) and the AAU games are more entertaining. It seems to me that the TSSAA are passing rules to pandor to the least commited teams. "They don't want to work in the summer, so we'll outlaw all teams from working during the summer." "Teams don't like getting drilled, so we'll pass the mercy rule." As I read the list of rule changes for this year, I don't see how any of them are going to help, but there is room for them to lower the level of play in the future.

 

For the sake of argument, the teams of the past were exciting to watch without the need for shot clocks, etc. I am a purist who does not like to see games changed.

 

A possibility these days is that a lot of parents of today have watched the rise of AAU, many as former players, and have heard all of the proud remarks of past players as to the number of games they played, the amount and length of practices, the travel to tournaments all over the counrtry- but are turned off by that.

 

Do you think that the Bradford, Jackson County, Upperman, Clarkrange teams of the past could have won AAA this past season?

[CoachT]

If the rules applied to all sports, then I would agree with you. Take softball, for example....now a dual sport athlete will not have to balance basketball and softball during the summer, but now the softball folks will take the kids and play 125 games with them in the summer. Now which sport will the kid play and how does that reduce burnout??

 

I agree with you about the ones who want to play in college will be playing AAU, but without the involvement of the high school coaches in AAU, the quality of those games will be affected too.

 

The new rules will do nothing but diminish the quality of play in girls basketball at the high school level.........just my opinion, only time will tell.

 

Softball and baseball are traditional summer sports which the TSSAA does not want to regulate.

[Indian]

Then you have some who live in cities with rec centers and can go shoot all day if they want.

[Morton]

I disagree with TSSAA interfering. With that being said, I have to say that my child has picked up a second sport for the first time since early middle school. She gave up soccer in 7th grade, so she could play AAU and (more imporantly) play ball in the fall with her MS and HS teams at the various leagues and play days. Since fall ball is no longer 'legal,' she is playing soccer again.

 

We discussed it, and while she could have spent that time with private coaches, shooting in the back yard, or playing pick-up games, she really wanted the organized competition. Right or wrong, my kid is playing a second sport, and really enjoying it. She is going to stay in shape, gain more experience at team-work with a different group of girls, and more importantly have fun! Needless to say, her conditioning will be excellent. She will increase her speed and endurance, and gain the all important ability to 'see the floor'.

 

I still disagree with the TSSAA for interfering, but we are making the best of it. Life is short, and high school is just four years. Ninety plus percent of our basketball players are not going to get basketball scholarships. Let's fight the battles we can win... Teaching our girls that exercise, competition, and making the best of any crappy situation are part of life skills that will help them with all of the trials in life.

 

TSSAA puts all our teams and players at a disadvantage to many of our peer states. Our whining won't change that. My daugher decided to 'make lemonade' from the situation. She is truthfully having more fun than she has ever had with organized basketball, because it is just for fun and conditioning.

 

With all the sports available to our girls (soccer, volleyball, softball, track, tennis, bowling, cross-country, cheerleading), there is a fit for most. My child is happy being in a second sport, even it it was imposed by TSSAA's restrictive rules. I can't argue with that... If your child does not want to pick up a second sport, put them in a rec league at the YMCA, or be their trainer yourself. I've spent many an hour under the goal rebounding, catching passes, etc... Just wanted to put a different spin on this whole ruling in that our kids will prevail if they really want to compete and progress. Don't let the TSSAA stop your kids because of your frustration. If you do, THEY win.

[Courtside]

kids can still practice and play like the rest of us use to.... play in the backyard with your friends, pick up games and etc..... oh yeah i forgot, no air-conditioning, too hot outside, bugs, i might sweat, it is raining!!!!!!!!!!!

[noonesfool]

kids can still practice and play like the rest of us use to.... play in the backyard with your friends, pick up games and etc..... oh yeah i forgot, no air-conditioning, too hot outside, bugs, i might sweat, it is raining!!!!!!!!!!!

 

A second sport and what you suggested Courtside is probably the best way, if we were all really honest. But your right about kids not playing unless it is organized.

[kwright]

My post from March 16th.

 

 

 

What it means is this:

 

(1) That Girls basketball in Tennessee will now start to look more like Alabama. We were better because we worked harder and longer. Just like everything else these days we want to not reward hard work and effort because it might make someone feel bad about themselves etc...

 

(2) That It's time for schools that give a darn about their student athletes chances at the next level to stand up and demand that the T$$AA get out of their lives.

 

(3)That we should all take a lot of video next year so in years to come we can remember the way it was in the good ole days.

 

Of course, if the T$$AA enforces this rule like they do all their other so called rules, not much will change and we can all just forget that the T$$AA existed in the first place. They most certainly need to go the way of the Dinosaurs.

 

WELL, Til Next Year, HOOPS TO YA!!!!

 

kw

[bigdave25]

Let the kids be kids. We have plenty of time to work with out children during the school year.

 

1. You can still employ season long speed, strenght, agility, and conditoning programs. (Make them better athletes)

2. Some teams run extremely complex systems and they will be hurt some....however, I didn't see many of them in the State Tourney this year! Most of those teams were just fundamentally solid and had very good athletes.

3. By tournament time we've had 4 months to work with our kids any way we wish....surely by then a coach worth his or her salt will have their team playing well.

 

I just don't see the need in kids playing for 12 months a year. This train of thought that they have got to play only one sport in order to be successful is a bunch of spin employed by coaches who want their sport to dominate all the others in the school. I want my players to play other sports and I encourage it. I seriously doubt that we will see a major drop off in on court performance.

 

Just my 2 cents!

[elitebball]

Proverbs 10:5 says, new living translation version, A wise youth works hard all summer; a youth who sleeps away the hour of opportunity brings shame.

 

This is what I read to my kids in regards to us having practice in the summer this year and especially next year. I also read the rules to them and explained that since we have less days to work and no spring practice it is imperative that they play AAU or some other sort of summer ball above and beyond what I'm going to give them in those 15 days in June. If we really want to be among the elite teams in the state, year in and year out and win a few state championships, it takes hard work and deligence to get there.

 

With the new rule changes, I'm going to have to remember my days back in the middle school when we didn't have the summer just 2 and half weeks in the fall to get ready before the first game. Something like that. If everyone is following the rule, we should be on an even playing field. I feel for the coaches that get hired in late July at a school. That's going to be tough considering that they won't get to work with their players to try and implement their system. Trust me, that ain't fun!

 

I do agree that it does give families more time together to do family stuff.

 

 

Coach Gat or anyone for that matter,

Does the maximum amount of games translate to 24 total games including tournaments, or 24 games plus 2 tournaments that count 2 games each?